With or Without Me
by intertwined.hearts
Summary: With or without you, I'll learn to move on. And then one day, we can all come back together as a team, and remember that despite some of the things we may say to each other, or how far away we may be from each other... we'll always care about one another.


Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Concept was thought up by Kishimoto. And if I did own Naruto, this would be canon. 

A cold wind blew by as Sasuke, last survivor of the Uchiha clan, lay sprawled on the grassy field of the Fire Country's forests. He was covered in a blanket of his own blood, just struggling to breathe. He attempted to crawl towards his attacker, but was in no condition to do anything of the sort and just laid there in contempt.

Standing right across from him was the traitor of the Uchiha, Itachi of the Akatsuki. Itachi stepped lightly towards Sasuke, whom was still on the ground and barely able to stay conscious. There was a look of bloodlust in the former Uchiha's eyes, a killer's eyes.

Sakura watched in horror, her emerald-green eyes sparkling with tears. She could do nothing to help her beloved Sasuke, as Itachi had already given her quite a beating. All she could do was scream as Itachi came closer to Sasuke every second. "STOP! PLEASE, STOP!!!"

Itachi paid no heed to her pleading words and grasped Sasuke by the shirt collar roughly. "Foolish little brother…"

"Just kill me already." Sasuke gasped out, his hands trying to pry off Itachi's strong grip.

"Tell me, Sasuke…" Itachi began, as he quickly pulled out something from his shuriken holster. He put that "something" on his face and said curiously, "Do these glasses make me look nerdy?"

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I'm sorry if some people didn't understand this.

The Mangekyou Sharingan puts a lot of strain on the eyes, and the user's eyesight will begin to deteriorate. So I figured, "Why not give Itachi a pair of glasses?" and then the light bulb went off and this was the result. XD

OKAY NOW SERIOUSLY, HERE'S THE REAL STORY.

This is sort of like an alternate version of when Team 7 first meets Sasuke again… Er yeah… xD;

Anyways… This is SasuSaku-ish. :3 With very slight implied NaruHina, though I don't support that pairing. Oh, and in case some of you are confused about the timeline for a few of the flashbacks… they're like… before Itachi and Kisame first infiltrated Konoha. That's why Sakura still has short hair while Sasuke's not… evil and… they're out of the Chuunin Exams. Yeah. xD; And yes, there is a part that repeats on purpose. Just to refresh your memory. xD

ENJOY. :D

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オレガイテモ、イナクテモ

Ore ga Itemo, Inakutemo

With or Without Me

"Sasuke…kun…" The words echoed out of the pink-haired kunoichi, Haruno Sakura, as she gazed into the dark, cold eyes of Uchiha Sasuke, missing nin of Konoha. She was exhausted and drained of chakra, the blood dripping out of the cut across her stomach, consciousness fading.

Sasuke stared back at the girl that was once his teammate, a mixture of emotions swelling in his dark eyes. Everything felt like an eternity, time slowed, as Sakura slowly fell forward and the Uchiha prodigy leapt forward to catch her, shouting her name, not even realizing what he had just done.

Just earlier, Sakura and Team 7 had managed to infiltrate Orochimaru's base, with one mission in mind – retrieve Sasuke. It was at this time that Sakura decided it was her turn to fight, and Naruto would stay out of it no matter what happened.

The team met Sasuke standing atop a cliff that hanged over a large clearing in the base of the Snake Sannin. Upon entering, there was no time for a reunion as Sasuke disappeared from view, reappearing in front of Uzumaki Naruto, resident Jinchuuriki of the group, and readying his sword to stab into his ex-friend's back.

This time, there was no cowardice or running away anymore – no words involved. Sakura jumped forward and managed to push Sasuke away, before he swung the blade at Naruto.

Sasuke only retaliated by rushing back and making another slash at the two teammates. Naruto and Sakura dodged the calculated swing, as Sakura turned to Naruto and shouted, "Naruto! This is my battle, so please don't intrude!"

"B-but--…Okay… but if he's about to kill you, I'm going in whether or not you like it, Sakura-chan!"

"I wouldn't have it any other way." Sakura nodded assuringly, and aimed a bone-crushing punch at Sasuke. "Forget about Naruto for now. You're dealing with me, Sasuke-_kun_."

"Very well. I'll make this quick." Sasuke replied listlessly, dodging the punch with ease.

"I see you haven't changed much in attitude, Sasuke." Sakura muttered, mostly to herself. _He's always been like this, hasn't he? Always straight to business, not wasting a single word…_

_It was another bright, cheery day in the Fire Country's shinobi village Konahagakure. The birds were chirping, children were running around playfully, and it was just about everything that the cold, emotionally broken Uchiha Sasuke disliked._

_Today, his sensei Hatake Kakashi had summoned Team 7 out for a nice, relaxing day of intense training. And of course, Sasuke was always the earliest; Kakashi was always last, and the other two of the team were… getting here._

_Sasuke leaned on the red bars of the wooden bridge, and spotted out of the corner of his eye, the young cherry blossom of the village arriving at her usual time, with that usual happy disposition of hers. _At least she's finally stopped asking me out…

"_Good morning, Sasuke-kun." Haruno Sakura greeted cheerfully, her short, pastel-pink hair ruffling in the breeze._

"_Hn." Sasuke said as usual. Every morning started out like this; Sakura would come and greet him, and Sasuke would merely give her a sign that he had heard her._

_Sakura treaded lightly over to where Sasuke was standing, and leaned against the bridge with him. Eventually, time passed by and Naruto appeared, waving at the two and shouting hellos._

"_Kakashi-sensei's late AGAIN." Naruto grumbled as he looked at his surroundings for any sign of the white-haired jounin._

"_It can't be helped, Naruto." Sakura sighed, though she understood his impatience._

"_Maybe we should just ditch him and go to the training grounds ourselves—" Naruto was cut off by a large puff of white smoke appearing in front of him. "WAAAHHH!!!"_

"_There's no need to do that, now. I'm here, aren't I?" Kakashi said, smiling at the three as the smoke cleared. "Sorry about the delay. You see, I had to help a poor lady across the street—"_

"_You're late as usual." Sasuke muttered under his breath, interrupting the jounin's story. "Let's just get this over with."_

Sakura gathered more chakra in her fist and leapt at Sasuke, first testing his movements and any patterns he might make within those moves. She sent a barrage of punches at the Uchiha, to which he dodged swiftly, almost gracefully. Sasuke grabbed her fist before she was able to make contact with his face, and made to stab through her with his sword.

Sakura jumped straight up, and kicked Sasuke in the head, all the while dodging the blade. Sasuke immediately let go of her hand as he flew a few feet away, feeling the full power of her chakra-induced strength.

"Don't think you can take me lightly anymore. I didn't train for two and a half years just so I could hurry over to your side again and fangirl all over you."

"…I see." Sasuke said, and Sakura swore she saw what seemed like… regret in his eyes, for just a second, but it was immediately washed over with a scowl. "Then I suppose I have no need to hold back any longer."

_After a couple hours of training nonstop with Kakashi, it was time for a break and they all settled down for some lunch. Sasuke, however, didn't feel the need to end his training session yet and kept practicing his shuriken and kunai throws. His concentration was thrown off when an abrupt burst of laughter came from the area where his teammates were picnicking; the Uchiha couldn't help but turn his attention towards them._

_Apparently, they were in a discussion regarding Naruto's relationship with Hinata, or something of the matter. Sasuke could see Naruto's face turning rather red, while Sakura and even Kakashi teased him about it._

With or without me…_ The words rang in Sasuke's head as he saw his closest companions having a great time without him. "I wonder if it would make a difference if I left this place... have I really gained any strength since I've been here?"_

_Sakura noticed Sasuke eying them and called him over, waving to him. "Sasuke-kun! Come over here, you must be hungry by now!"_

_Sasuke hesitated for a moment, but decided to join them; however, those words still echoed, deep down in his heart…_

Sasuke vanished from Sakura's view again, reappearing behind her. Sakura had no time to process what had just happened, as the sword went through her body, a fatal blow.

This whole scene felt rather familiar to Sakura, though; tears streaming down as the boy she loved with all her heart would soon knock her out, leaving her on a cold bench, and finally, leaving the village for 3 painful years.

"Sasuke… kun…"

_A cold, ominous wind blew by as the moon fell behind the clouds of the night. Sakura had left the Ichiraku Ramen shop just a little earlier, hurrying over to the gate into, and out of, Konohagakure. She sensed a foreboding atmosphere in the air, and knew she had to get to this particular area, because something was coming._

_Her instincts were correct, for soon, the Uchiha boy with raven-dark hair, clad in blue, walked slowly towards her – no, towards the gate past her._

_Sakura glanced at the backpack strapped around his arms. Her eyes widened in fear._

_Sasuke paused for a minute and looked at Sakura, his eyes expressionless as always, asking simply, "What are you doing down here so late at night? Just out for a stroll?"_

"_In order to leave this village, you have to take this road." Sakura stated in a low voice, knowing full well that Sasuke had intended to leave._

"_Go home and sleep." Sasuke scowled, and brushed right past Sakura, not caring if he had just broken her heart. Or at least, he thought he didn't care._

"_Why…" Sakura whispered, a tear trickling down her face. "Why won't you say anything to me? Why do you always shut everyone off? Why won't you tell me anything—"_

"_Why do I have to tell you?" Sasuke interrupted, his voice mixed with annoyance, and possibly a little guilt. "I'm telling you that you meddle too much. Stop bothering me all the time."_

_Sakura stared at the Uchiha's back, the tears pouring down her cheeks. She turned her head down, and let a smile grace her lips. Sakura looked back up, towards the Uchiha, trying her best to stay confident. "You always act like you hate me, Sasuke-kun."_

_Silence._

"_Do you remember? When we were first genin… The day the three-man teams were decided, and we were alone at this very spot."_

_Sasuke's attention was slightly starting to turn towards her attempt to remind him of all the wonderful days they spent together… as a team._

"_You were angry at me, weren't you?" Sakura said, thinking back on when she first talked one-on-one with Sasuke. She recalled her younger self complaining about Naruto and his lack of discipline, only to have Sasuke call her annoying, due to her ignorance of not knowing what it's like to have no parents._

_Sakura looked at Sasuke with a half-hopeful face, but Sasuke only broke those hopes with a down-right lie. "I don't remember."_

_A few more tears dropped to the ground as Sakura retained her smile, ever so slightly. "That's right… that was a long time ago. But it was on that day that you and I… and Naruto and Kakashi-sensei…"_

_More memories seemed to flood back into Sasuke's head, of the times when Team 7 would go on missions, train together, even eat lunch together… and at times, he too, would faintly smile._

"_The four of us have done a lot of missions together." Sakura continued. "It was difficult, and it was awful, but…"_

It wasn't that bad, not when you were around._ Sasuke thought to himself, although he had a hard time suppressing those kinds of feelings as they intruded his mind. Nothing should be more important than avenging his clan… right?_

"_Even so… it was fun!" Sakura said half-heartedly, smiling brightly. Sasuke, even with his back turned to her, could not help but agree, all the while having his emotions a mix of… everything._

"_I know what happened to your clan. But with revenge alone, you will not be able to make anyone happy." Sakura cried as the clouds in the dark sky passed by, shadowing her face. "No one… not you, nor me…"_

_Sasuke was so conflicted now; he had to stop her from messing with his head, especially at a point in time like this. "I knew it."_

_Sakura's eyes looked up in anticipation._

"_I am different from you guys. I follow a different path from you guys. The four of us together… it's true that I've thought of it as one possible path. But despite that, my heart has chosen revenge."_

_Sasuke's voice deepened, as he narrowed his eyes, building his resolve. "That's what I live for. I can't be like you or Naruto."_

"_Aren't you going to be lonely by yourself?!" Sakura shouted, taking a step forward as the pain in her heart was more agitated than ever. "Sasuke-kun, you told me that being alone is painful! I know that very well, so much that it hurts!"_

_No, what could she know about true loneliness? There was no way that she would change his decision._

"_I have family and friends. But…" More tears fell, colliding with the ground and melting together. "If you leave… for me… it will be the same as being alone!"_

"_From this point on, new paths will start." Sasuke managed to say, though in his heart, he knew she was right. But that didn't change the fact that he needed to get away from here. But that didn't stop him from thinking back on the picture that Team Seven had taken together… that one memorable day..._

_Sakura stepped forward; it was now or never. "I… I love you more than anything!'_

_Sasuke was taken aback by this. He hadn't heard those words in a long time, spoken in a true tone. Love… His heart beat rapidly as she continued, though he never risked to turn around and look at her tear-stained face._

"_If you are by my side…" Sakura choked out, the anguish in her voice apparent, "I will make sure you won't regret it. I will make sure every day is more enjoyable, and you _will_ be happy!"_

"_I would do anything for you! That's why… I beg of you! Please stay here!" Sakura shrieked with desperation. The moon glared on the two lone figures, its pearl-white aura giving off a tinge of sadness on the surroundings. "I will even help you with your revenge! There must be something I can do!" Her voice had reduced to little more than a whisper. "If that's not possible… please take me with you…"_

_This was definitely annoying him. Here he was, Uchiha Sasuke, known throughout Konoha as a cold, emotionless bastard – and yet now, hearing the sobs coming out of Sakura, made him feel weak. His heart was thrashing about; he just wanted to turn back around and tell her everything would be okay. But the Uchiha prodigy knew that he couldn't do that; there was a goal he needed to accomplish._

_Sasuke sighed, and finally, turned his head towards the teary-eyed kunoichi and smirked. "After all this, you're still annoying."_

_That should have settled it. Feeling more accomplished than he'd felt all day, Sasuke made his way for the gates, but stopped again when he head Sakura's footsteps rushing at him._

"_Don't go! If you do, I'll scream and—"_

_Sasuke was tired of this, he couldn't handle the guilt trip any longer. He disappeared from sight, and Sakura could feel his presence from behind her. Slowly, he said each syllable of her flowery name with a cool, graceful tone. "Sakura."_

_Silence._

"…_Arigatou."_

_He looked at her with sad eyes, as Sakura let out a small gasp. Time elapsed slowly as the two shared their last moment together, until Sasuke brought his hand out from his pocket._

_A small "thump!" sound was heard as Sakura fainted, and Sasuke caught her lightly. He laid her down on the bench, and gazed at her for a while. He wanted to wake her up and make her feel better. He wanted her to smile again, but he knew this would all just hold him back…_

_Sasuke fled from the scene, and left the one person that he treasured, more than he would like to have believed at that time._

"Sasuke…kun…" The words echoed out of the pink-haired kunoichi as she gazed into the dark, cold eyes of Uchiha Sasuke. She was exhausted and drained of chakra, the blood dripping out of the cut across her stomach, consciousness fading.

Sasuke stared back at the girl that was once his teammate, a mixture of emotions swelling in his dark eyes. Everything felt like an eternity, time slowed, as Sakura slowly fell forward and the Uchiha prodigy leapt forward to catch her, shouting her name, not even realizing what he had just done. "Sakura!"

"Sasuke-kun… why…" Sakura gasped, lying in the arms of the one man that had left her once, heart broken.

"…I… Sakura…I don't… " Sasuke stuttered, not knowing why he just caught the person he tried to kill. Looking at her in this miserable form was just… too much for him to bear. He could feel the tears coming; Uchiha Sasuke, crying.

"Are those… tears? For me…?" Sakura laughed weakly, surprised at her ex-teammate's sudden burst of unlikely emotion. "Please… don't cry over me…"

"Stop wasting your energy talking!" Sasuke shouted, gripping the kunoichi tighter. "You've always talked too much anyways. Come on, don't act so pathetically."

Sakura started to tear up too, and she spared a glance over at her loud teammate.

Naruto was staring in shock, dropped to his knees, tears flooding from his face in disbelief as his closest female friend was probably dying.

"Sasuke-kun… please… just promise me you won't… lose yourself…" Sakura said, each breath getting shallower.

"Damn it, Sakura… if nothing else…" Sasuke muttered, his tears dropping lightly on to Sakura's paling face. "I promise... for your happiness."

"Mm… arigatou, Sasuke-kun…" Sakura cried, as her life slowly dissipated. She let the words flow out of her mouth slowly as the Uchiha's tears fell on her… "It's raining…"

"…Aa. It is."

**-End-**

**Author's Notes:** Okay, so like... I've officially posted a fanfic on this site. What the hell am I on? I don't know but I want reviews damn it! Bleh... thanks for reading... and rawr, I hate this stupid submission form thing... ;;  



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